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With the economy in flux and companies laying off employees right and left, it is time to declare your independence as small business owner and get the ability to tap into millions of dollars of federal contracts. In this article learn how to complete the SBA 8a application successfully without paying someone thousands of dollars to fill out a handful of forms. I did it and my company is SBA 8a certified. You can do it too.

If you are a small business owner, you may have wondered how to increase your market share. One strategy is by becoming certified by the federal government as an SBA 8a company qualified to bid on large contracts. This program helps small business owners get organized to compete on contracts as a prime or subcontractor.

While most of us think of a small business as a “mom and pop” with a manager and just a few employees, the federal government has a different definition of small business. While the numbers may vary slightly due to industry, the federal government recognizes small businesses as those with less than 500 employees and a gross revenue (in the computer programming field for example: less than $23 million in three consecutive years. Now that is a BIG small business!

The ability to apply for and receive SBA 8(a) certification is attainable within a very short time. We are talking weeks.

Many women and minority owners want to get certifiied, but my be intimidated by the thought of filling out reams of paperwork. In reality, if you were to apply for the certification the application process takes about two hours, if you are registered in about five key databases, you have gathered all of the necessary backup paperwork (tax forms, incorporation documents, other relevant documents) and you meet the minimum standards of program qualification.

All of the information you need is online, but there is one issue. The SBA website is so large it is difficult to find the application quickly. And more importantly, determine the order in which you must complete the registrations to efficiently navigate the application process.

There are companies that prey upon small business owners and charge outrageous fees to complete government forms. I have received information from companies that attempt to scare business owners into thinking they cannot apply on their own or they will not get accepted unless they use Company X. That is hogwash! No company can guarantee your acceptance into the SBA 8(a) program. And more importantly, this is not a complicated application process.

If you are serious about taking your business to the next level, it is time to investigate how to get SBA 8(a) certified.